Apparatus for use with a web fed mechanism

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is provided for use with a web fed mechanism, such as a printing press or a corrugating machine, which employs web pulling means to pull web to the mechanism from a web payout means, such as a roll of web material, at a relatively constant pull velocity. The apparatus includes a movable web guide which is positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of a web from a web payout means to the mechanism. The guide means is movable along a path so that when the payout velocity is less than the pull velocity the guide means moves along the path. Controllable retarding means is employed for use in applying retarding forces to the guide so as to decelerate movement thereof along the path. Control means serve to control the retarding means to control the rate at which the payout velocity increases.

United States Patent n 1 Murray et al.

[ 1 Jan.30, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A WEB Primary ExaminerBilly S. Taylor FED MECHANISM Att0rneyYount and Tarolli [75] Inventors: James E. Murray, University Heights, Ohio; Robert P. Kirsch, [57] ABSTRACT Cleveland, Ohio Apparatus is provided for use with a web fed mechanism, such as a printing press or a corrugating [73] Asslgnee' Harr'S'ImertyPe Corporauon machine, which employs web pulling means to pull Cleveland Ohm web to the mechanism from a web payout means, such [22] Fil d; D 7, 1970 as a roll of web material, at a relatively constant pull velocity. The apparatus includes a movable web guide [21] Appl' 95,584 which is positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of a web from a web 52 0.5. CI ..242 5s.4, 242/7551 Phyeul means to the meehahism- The guide meeneis 511 int. Cl. ..B65h 19/14 fheveble along a P 50 h when h P y veleelty [58] Field of Search ..242/5s.1 58.3 58.4 75.44 less the P veleelty the gulde means moves 242/7553 i along the path. Controllable retarding means is employed for use in applying retarding forces to the [56] References Cited guide so as to decelerate movement thereof along the path. Control means serve to control the retarding UNITED STATES PATENTS means to control the rate at which the payout velocity 'nc 3,414,208 12/1968 Butler, Jr. et al ..242/58.l l reases 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures L t- 1 1 I I 1 26; 4 e a: are 1 ac. y?" COT MECMWISM M070? uuax l 22 -1 i I (JP/V6 l l 6; Tea/2Z I MnMN/J'M: L fi i i 5 4 I 52 mcwoueree I I WEE l zwcl/auneze I 444 MOTOR l l," Q6

L COA/TROL c/lecu/r WEI 1 DP 3 PATENTEDJANSO ms Km r lvfil l Q APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A WEB FED MECHANISM This invention relates to the art of roll feeding equipment for a web fed mechanism, such as a printing press or a corrugating machine, and, more particularly, to apparatus for controlling the acceleration of web being paid out from a roll from an initial velocity condition to a normal running velocity condition.

The invention is particularly applicable in conjunction with splicing the lead end of web from a new web roll to web from an expiring web roll, and then controlling the acceleration of the web being paid out from the new roll from its initial velocity condition of substantially zero to a running or normal operating velocity.

In the printing industry, the length of a run is a significant factor in production time. For example, newspapers in large metropolitan areas have editions printed in several hundreds of thousands. A typical full size newspaper roll of web material provides sufficient paper to print approximately 14,000 papers of 16 standard pages each. Consequently, several rolls of newspaper web material are required for each edition of many newspapers. The production schedules of many newspapers is such that it is desirable to change web rolls without completely shutting down the press, or even reducing the speed at which web material is fed to the press.

It is frequently desirable, therefore, that web from a new web roll be spliced to web from an expiring web roll without decreasing the speed at which web material is fed to a printing press. It is also desirable that the splicing operation be accomplished while the payout velocity of the expiring roll is substantially zero. Consequently, a need exists for apparatus for controlling the acceleration of web being paid out from a new roll as it increases its speed from an initial condition of substantially zero speed to the desired web running speed.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a splicing operation when web material from a new web roll is spliced to web material from an expiring roll in a print- 'ing press or a corrugating machine.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for use in conjunction with splicing webs in such a manner that the feed rate of web to a press may be held constant during the splicing operation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which may be used in conjunction with splicing webs in such a manner that the splicing may be accomplished while the web payout velocity of a new roll is substantially zero, while at the same time permitting web to be fed to a printing press or a corrugating machine at a constant velocity.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for accelerating the payout speed of a new roll of web material while at the same time maintaining the velocity of feeding web into a printing press or a corrugating machine substantially constant.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for accelerating the payout velocity of web material from an initial velocity to a final velocity with minimum web tension and without requiring the need to utilize web tension measuring devices.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, apparatus is provided for use with a web fed mechanism, such as a printing press or a corrugating machine, having web pulling means for pulling web to the mechanism at a relatively constant pull velocity from a web payout means. The apparatus includes a movable web guide which is positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of web from a payout means to the mechanism. The guide is movable along a path so that when the payout velocity is less than the pull velocity the guide is moved along the path. Retarding means serve to apply retarding forces to the guide and thereby accelerate movement of the guide along the path so that the payout velocity increases toward that of the pull velocity. Control means serve to control the retarding means to, in turn, control the retarding forces applied to the guide and thereby control the rate at which the payout velocity increases.

In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the retarding means includes a motor having its output shaft connected to the guide together with motor control circuit means for dynamically braking the motor and, hence, decelerating movement of the guide.

Still further in accordance with the present invention, the guide is movable along the path from a first position to a second position during which movement it is contemplated that web from a new roll be spliced to web from an expiring roll, which is braked so as to exhibit a substantially zero payout velocity, and then the guide is decelerated at a controlled rate to come to a stop substantially at the second position while at the same time the payout velocity of the new roll is brought up to substantially the speed of the pull velocity.

Still further in accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the control means includes circuitry for providing output indications as to the distance required for the guide to travel to its second position from its position at the point in time that a splice is made, together with additional circuitry for providing a control signal for use in controlling deceleration of the guide at a controlled rate so that the guide will come to a stop at the second position.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which are a part hereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a rotary to linear drive mechanism which may be employed in this invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are graphical illustrations showing the manner of operation of the present invention; and,

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a control circuit used in this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for limiting same, FIG. 1 schematically illustrates one embodiment of the invention for use in feeding a web W to a printing press P, indicated generally with dotted lines, and which includes a web pull mechanism 10 which may take any suitable form within the printing press for purposes of pulling the web W into the press at a constant pull velocity W Web W is conventional web material, such as newspaper stock, normally stored on a roll and from which the web material is paid out. As shown in FIG. 1, web W is paid out from an expiring roll A and to which the lead end of web from a new roll B is to be spliced to permit continuous operation of press P. A conventional splicing mechanism S, generally illustrated with dotted lines in FIG. 1, is employed for securing the lead end of web from roll B to web from the expiring roll A.

It is contemplated that splice mechanism S be utilized for splicing the lead end of web from roll B to the web from expiring roll A when the payout velocity of web from roll A is substantially zero, and yet at the same time the pull velocity W of web being fed into press P is maintained at its normal running velocity. Consequently, suitable braking mechanisms are provided for braking rolls A or B during splicing operations. For example, roll A is mechanically connected to a brake wheel 12 which may be engaged for braking operations by a brake shoe 14 under the control of a conventional brake control mechanism BC-l. Similarly, roll B is provided with a brake wheel 16 adapted to be engaged by a brake shoe 18 under the control of a brake control mechanism BC-2.

During splicing operations, it is contemplated that brake control BC-1 be actuated so that brake shoe 14 engages brake wheel 12 causing roll A to come to a stop, at which time the splicing mechanism S, in a conventional manner, serves to splice the lead end of web from roll B to the web from expiring roll A. If the web pull mechanism is pulling web into press P at a constant pull velocity, then some means must be provided to store web material to be paid out to the press to permit continuous feeding of web material to the press while roll A is stopped.

in accordance with the present invention, the web material is trained about a fixed web guide 20, and is then trained about a movable web guide 22 after which the web material is passed in a conventional fashion into press P. Guide 22, which'serves as a web storage roll, is movable from a first position at a point 0, as illustrated by the dotted lines 22a, along the path in the direction of web movement to the press to a second position at point L, denoted by the dotted lines 22b. Guide 22 is forced to move in the direction from point 0 to point L by forces imparted thereto by the web whenever the pull velocity W provided by pull mechanism 10 is greater than the payout velocity of web from roll A. This, of course, occurs once the brake control BC-l is operated to apply forces to brake wheel 12.

The linear motion of guide 22 from point 0 to point L is transmitted through a rotary to linear drive mechanism 24 which, in turn, is coupled to the output shaft of a conventional D.C. motor 26. The motors output shaft is thereby caused to rotate as guide 22 is being displaced. A conventional motor drive control circuit 28 is connected to motor 26 for purposes of dynamically braking the motor in accordance with the magnitude of a control signal provided by a control circuit CC.

The control circuit CC is actuated into operation once a splice has been completed, and this is accomplished by providing a relay coil 50 in the splicing mechanism S together with a normally open switch 52, which upon closure energizes coil 50 to actuate suitable relay contacts within the control circuit CC. The control circuit also obtains input information as to the pull velocity of the web with the use of a conventional D.C. tachometer 54 having its input shaft coupled to the output shaft of a friction roller 56 which is positioned so as to be driven by web W just prior to entering press P. A second signal, representative of the velocity of guide 22 as it traverses from point 0 to point L, is obtained by a conventional D.C. tachometer 27 having its input shaft coupled to the output shaft of motor 26. From this information, the control circuit CC provides a control signal to the motor drive control circuit 28 so that movement of guide 22 is retarded at a controlled rate so as to come to a stop at point L, and at which time the web payout velocity is equal to the web pull velocity. To minimize web tension during this period of increasing the payout velocity of new roll B, movement of web guide 22 is decelerated at a constant rate. The manner in which control circuit CC operates to provide this control function is described in detail hereinafter.

The rotary to linear drive mechanism 24 may take various forms, such as a rack and pinion arrangement or the chain and sprocket arrangement shown in FIG. 2. The chain and sprocket arrangement includes a sprocket wheel 60 connected to output shaft 29 of motor 26 for rotation therewith. A shaft 62 extends from wheel 60 to a second laterally spaced sprocket wheel 64 to drive the latter. Longitudinally spaced from sprocket wheel 60 there is provided another sprocket wheel 66 which is driven by wheel 60 by means of a conventional chain 68. Another sprocket wheel 70 is laterally spaced from wheel 66 and is coupled thereto by means of a suitable shaft 72 so that these two sprocket wheels rotate together. In addition, sprocket wheels 64 and 70 are coupled with a conventional chain 72. Guide 22 may take various forms, such as a polished cylindrical bar extending laterally between and secured at its opposite ends to chains 68 and 72. The web W is trained about fixed guide roll 20 and guide 22. Preferably, guide 22 is not permitted to be displaced from point 0 toward point L until it is desired to perform a splicing operation. To prevent guide 22 from being displaced a lock pin arrangement is provided. The lock pin arrangement may take various forms however, such as a solenoid rod adapted to be received in a radially extending slot 82 in the sprocket wheel 60 to prevent rotation of the wheel. When it is desired to remove lock pin 80, a switch 84 is closed to energize a suitable solenoid coil 86 so that the lock pin 80 is displaced from slot 82.

Referring now to FIG. 3A there is shown a graphical illustration of the velocity of guide 22 with respect to time as it traverses from point 0 to point L. It is contemplated at time zero that the brake control BC-l be actuated to cause roll A to decelerate and come to a stop during time period T,,. During this period guide 22 is accelerated up to a velocity equal to one-half that of the web pull velocity W During the succeeding time interval, as represented by the time period T in FIG.

3A, the lead end of web from roll B is spliced to the web from the now stationary expiring roll A with the use of splice mechanism S. During the time periods T and T guide 22 has traveled a variable distance, which is represented as distance X,- in the graph of FIG. 38. Once the splice has been completed it is contemplated that switch 52 will be closed to energize relay coil 50. At this point in time, control circuit CC commences operation so that guide 22 is decelerated at a constant rate whereby guide 22 comes to a stop at point L at which time the payout velocity of web from roll B will equal the pull velocity W The purpose of control circuit CC is to compute the optimum speed profile of guide 22 so that the guide will come to a stop at point L with minimum web tension. At the expiration of time period T the control circuit can compute the distance 1.'X to be travelled for guide 22 to reach point L. Also, the guide speed is known; to wit, it is equal to W Consequently, if guide 22 is decelerated at a constant rate then the distance to be travelled during time period T, may be expressed as:

L X W /Z TA z WW TA/4 (equation 2) But the slope of the constant straight line velocity drop off may be expressed as:

(equation 1 W Xs) (equation 5) Control circuit CC, therefore, should control deceleration of guide 22 in accordance with equation 5. Thus, the entire distance L X is utilized when decelerating guide 22, resulting in minimum paper tension.

Control circuit CC, shown in detail in FIG. 4, serves to control motor drive control circuit 28 so that web guide 22 is decelerated in accordance with the equations presented above. Control circuit CC includes a conventional integrator circuit 80 that serves to receive an output signal from tachometer 27 representative of the speed of motor 26 and, hence, the velocity of guide 22 asit travel sesffom point O tb point LTThe output voltage obtained from integrator 80 is an instantaneous measure of the distance X traveled by guide 22. This variable voltage is applied to one input of a conventional comparator-subtractor circuit 82 having an input connected to the wiper arm of a potentiometer 84 with the resistance portion thereof being connected between ground and a 3+ voltage supply source. The wiper armjsadjusted to provide a voltage representative of the total distance L to be traversed by web guide 22. Comparator-subtractor circuit 82 provides an output voltage having a magnitude representative of L X which, of course, is a measure of the distance yet to be traveled by guide 22 to reach point L The output voltage L-X obtained from circuit 82 is applied through normally closed relay contacts 86 to a conventional sample and hold circuit 88. This circuit includes a storage capacitor 90 connected between ground and the noninverting input of a conventional voltage follower amplifier 92. When the splicing operation has been completed, web guide 22 has traveled a distance X x and, consequently, the output voltage from sample and hold circuit 88 at this point in time is equal to the expression L X it is at this point in time that switch 52 is closed to energize relay coil 50 and, thereby, open relay contacts 86 so that the output voltage of the sample and hold circ ui t 8 8 emains for a measurable interval of time at the level LX Control circuit CC also includes a conventionalmultiplying circuit 94 which serves to receive a voltage signal from the output circuit of tachometer 54 representative of the web pull velocity W and to multiply this signal by itself to obtain at its output circuit a signal having the value W This voltage, like the output voltage from sample and hold circuit 88, is supplied to a conventional divider circuit 96 which provides at its output circuit a voltage representative of the expression:

This voltage is then divided by a factor of eight by means of a suitably calibrated resistor 98 in the output circuit of the divider circuit 96.

When relay coil 50 is energized it closes a set of normally open relay contacts 100 so that the output voltage taken from resistor 98 is applied to the input of a second integrator circuit 102 for integrating the received signal. The integrated output signal from integrator circuit 102 is applied to one input of a comparator-subtractor circuit 104. Circuit 104 has a second input circuit connected through a calibrated resistor 106 from the output circuit of tachometer 54. Resistor 106 is calibrated so as to divide output voltage W of tachometer 54 by a factor of two. Consequently, the output voltage of the comparator-subtractor circuit 104 has a magnitude representative of the expression:

WW 2 W/ 8(L 4X5) i This voltage is applied to one input of a comparatorsubtractor circuit 108 which has a second input for receiving output voltage W of tachometer 27. Consequently, the difference or error signal output from circuit 108 is a command signal indicative of the amount of dynamic braking required. Motor drive control circuit 28 continuously responds to this command signal to, in turn, control the dynamic braking of motor command signal should be zero. Thereafter, during the operation of press P, it is contemplated that motor 26 be operated in a normal motor operation mode to return guide 22 to point 0 at which time lock pin is reinserted into slot 82 in sprocket wheel 60.

The invention has been described herein with reference to a printing press. As previously described herein the invention may be used with other web fed mechanisms such as a corrugating machine. In FIG. 1 herein the web is illustrated as being festooned only once and guide 22 reaches a maximum speed of (W /2). Depending on the mechanism involved, printing press or corrugating machine, et cetera, two or more festoons may be used. For two festoons, guide 22 will reach a maximum speed of (W /4) and for three festoons the maximum guide speed will be (W J6), and

so on.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, however, it is to be appreciated that the invention is not limited to same as various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Apparatus for use in a web fed mechanism having web pull means for pulling a web to a said mechanism from a web payout means at a relatively constant pull velocity and comprising:

movable web guide means positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of asaid web from a said payout means to a said mechanism, said guide means being movable along a path so that when the payout velocity is less than said pull velocity the guide means is moved along said path;

controllable means for applying retarding forces to said guide means to decelerate movement of said guide means along said path in such a manner that said payout velocity increases toward that of said pull velocity wherein said retarding means includes motor means connected to said guide means for dynamically braking movement of said guide means; and

control means for controlling the retarding forces applied by said retarding means and thereby control the rate at which said payout velocity increases.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said control means including motor control circuit means for controlling the dynamic braking of said guide means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said control means includes circuit means for developing a control signal for application to said motor control circuit means so as to dynamically brake movement of said guide means along said path in dependence upon said control signal.

4. In an apparatus for splicing the lead end of a web on a new web roll to a web on an expiring web roll in a web fed mechanism having web pulling means for pulling said web at a relatively constant pull velocity so that said web pays'out from a said rolland comprising:

movable web guide means positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of a said web from a said roll to a said mechanism, said guide means being movable along a path from a first position to a second position so that when the payout velocity of a said web from its roll is less than said pull velocity the guide means is moved along said path;

means for applying braking forces to said expiring roll so that the payout velocity of the web therefrom is decreased to cause said guide means to move from said first position toward said second position a distance sufficient to permit the lead end of a web from a said new roll to be spliced to the web from the expiring roll;

controllable means for applying retarding forces to said guide means to retard motion thereof along said path toward said second position in such a manner that the payout velocity of web from said new roll is increased toward said pull velocity; and

control means for controlling said retarding means to a ply said retarding forces at a controlled rate so t at said guide means comes to a stop substantially at said second position at which time the payout velocity of the web from said new roll is substantially equal to said pull velocity.

5. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means includes means for controlling said retarding means to apply said retarding forces to decelerate movement of said guide means at a substantially constant rate.

6. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means includes means for controlling said retarding means once the web from said new roll has been spliced to the web from said expiring roll to control the rate at which the payout velocity of web from 1 said new roll increases toward that of said pull velocity.

7. in an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means includes:

circuit means for providing a first output signal representative of the distance along said path required for said guide means to reach said second position once the web from said new roll has been spliced to the web from the expiring roll; and circuit means for providing an output control signal dependent on said first signal for use in controlling said retarding means.

8. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said retarding means includes an electric motor having an output shaft mechanically connected to said guide means so as to be rotated thereby as said guide means moves along said path and motor control means for dynamically braking said motor and, hence, retarding motion of said guide means along said path in dependence upon said output control signal.

* i i I! i 

1. Apparatus for use in a web fed mechanism having web pull means for pulling a web to a said mechanism from a web payout means at a relatively constant pull velocity and comprising: movable web guide means positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of a said web from a said payout means to a said mechanism, said guide means being movable along a path so that when the payout velocity is less than said pull velocity the guide means is moved along said path; controllable means for applying retarding forces to said guide means to decelerate movement of said guide means along said path in such a manner that said payout velocity increases toward that of said pull velocity wherein said retarding means includes motor means connected to said guide means for dynamically braking movement of said guide means; and control means for controlling the retarding forces applied by said retarding means and thereby control the rate at which said payout velocity increases.
 1. Apparatus for use in a web fed mechanism having web pull means for pulling a web to a said mechanism from a web payout means at a relatively constant pull velocity and comprising: movable web guide means positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of a said web from a said payout means to a said mechanism, said guide means being movable along a path so that when the payout velocity is less than said pull velocity the guide means is moved along said path; controllable means for applying retarding forces to said guide means to decelerate movement of said guide means along said path in such a manner that said payout velocity increases toward that of said pull velocity wherein said retarding means includes motor means connected to said guide means for dynamically braking movement of said guide means; and control means for controlling the retarding forces applied by said retarding means and thereby control the rate at which said payout velocity increases.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said control means including motor control circuit means for controlling the dynamic braking of said guide means.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said control means includes circuit means for developing a control signal for application to said motor control circuit means so as to dynamically brake movement of said guide means along said path in dependence upon said control signal.
 4. In an apparatus for splicing the lead end of a web on a new web roll to a web on an expiring web roll in a web fed mechanism having web pulling means for pulling said web at a relatively constant pull velocity so that said web pays out from a said roll and comprising: movable web guide means positioned so as to be engaged by and for guiding directional movement of a said web from a said roll to a said mechanism, said guide means being movable along a path from a first position to a second position so that when the payout velocity of a said web from its roll is less than said pull velocity the guide means is moved along said path; means for applying braking forces to said expiring roll so that the payout velocity of the web therefrom is decreased to cause said guide means to move from said first position toward said second position a distance sufficient to permit the lead end of a web from a said new roll to be spliced to the web from the expiring roll; controllable means for applying retarding forces to said guide means to retard motion thereof along said path toward said second position in such a manner that the payout velocity of web from said new roll is increased toward said pull velocity; and control means for controlling said retarding means to apply said retarding forces at a controlled rate so that said guide means comes to a stop substantially at said second position at which time the payout velocity of the web from said new roll is substantially equal to said pull velocity.
 5. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means includes means for controlling said retarding means to apply said retarding forces to decelerate movement of said guide means at a substantially constant rate.
 6. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means includes means for controlling said retarding means once the web from said new roll has been spliced to the web from said expiring roll to control the rate at which the payout velocity of web from said new roll increases toward that of said pull velocity.
 7. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said control means includes: circuit means for providing a first output signal representative of the distance along said path required for said guide means to reach said second position once the web from said new roll has been spliced to the web from the expiring roll; and circuit means for providing an output control signal dependent on said first signal for use in controlling said retarding means. 